Chapter 2254: Chapter 2249: From Welcoming Guests to Kidnapping

Sure enough, he was eagerly awaiting.

At that moment, Fu Qian simply felt the ripples of his old friend quietly and did not intervene further.

Though the situation was somewhat tragic, he didn’t think the Interlocutor’s demise was as dramatic as it seemed.

Now, the one worth worrying about seemed to be himself.

Even without relying on Extraordinary Perception, one could tell that the mist emerging wasn’t merely a change in weather.

Having been the Nightmare Dominator for quite a while, the mist had always been a boundary marker with impassable properties.

Not to mention the scene before him bore a striking familiarity to the first task in the Nightmare Corridor by the school’s edge.

He wouldn’t be surprised if Sister Ox-head emerged from within at any moment.

In conclusion, after the Interlocutor’s outburst, Fu Qian saw the primary result as being firmly trapped, with no easy escape.

Such a powerful effect undoubtedly belonged to the prisoners’ efforts, while the tormented Brother Interlocutor played his part as a mere tool.

As for why His Excellency Alarakir and the others suddenly changed their stance from hiding to enthusiastically inviting?

It’s easy to understand— the real guest they wanted hadn’t arrived.

As previously speculated, sensing between the two Dark Moons could be felt by the Witch, but what about the hosts?

It seemed the answer was affirmative.

Not only did they sense it, but they also reacted instantly to achieve certain goals.

The specific approach was the situation just witnessed, where the corridor suddenly deteriorated and lost its vitality.

Even later when it was discovered that they hadn’t left, they were in a state of entanglement, incapable of action.

To visitors, this scene likely suggested— the danger was under control.

Next was to set aside worries and explore with confidence.

Especially since the first person to enter wasn’t the main target.

...

Fu Qian believed his decision to run in first took the prisoners by surprise.

But regardless of past friendships, this was no time for small talk; the invitation had to be seen through.

Of course, this didn’t mean that the group was fine; this vague boundary posture was deliberately crafted.

Such a level of tacit understanding, if not backed by specific vested interests, could not be achieved even by close brothers, let alone by a group of nearly insane Superior Beings.

Considering past observations that these guys have a penchant for celebrating misfortunes, Fu Qian leaned toward the idea that the prisoners indeed faced such a predicament, merely repurposing waste.

It must be noted, though, the Interlocutor’s performance in this process was quite commendable, making the most significant contribution his role could allow.

The balance of cunning and clowning was just right, helping to reduce Fu Qian’s vigilance toward this place significantly.

The subtleties in his demeanor and approach minimized the likelihood of mind control in Fu Qian’s view.

Indeed, his reaction earlier was completely sincere; the Interlocutor was simply playing himself, a perspective Fu Qian inclined to support.

Even considering it from the prisoners’ viewpoint, Fu Qian admitted he might do the same.

After all, they were somewhat lacking in the art of persuasion and might as well let him perform naturally.

It’s unfortunate that his endurance was somewhat lacking, facing an old friend who knew many of the facts, he ultimately couldn’t hold out.

As for what the current situation represented, it was self-evident.

If the invitation failed, another method would be adopted.

The Superior Being seniors were evidently laying their cards on the table.

...

Honestly, the prisoners’ ability to come up with such a response was quite impressive.

Their luck wasn’t bad either; although their first visitor wasn’t the Witch they expected,

the Pathfinder’s lack of Extraordinary Perception meant their disguise was less likely to be exposed.

However, they clearly were unaware of the significance behind the Knight of the Dark Moon saying "I’ll go scout ahead."

Did you think it was just about submitting some casual observation report?

How could one let the Pontiff take undue risks without verifying the situation?

Especially when this place was suspected of having once trapped her "mother."

Of course, the situation had been partially confirmed, and it didn’t look optimistic.

The abruptly rising mist suggested the hosts were entering the Second Phase— having failed to lure one in, they were inviting them in another way.

Pretend to be innocent, and if you still don’t trust it, fine, we’ll lay our cards on the table. Unless that person comes in, you’re not leaving today.

Exactly, this was Fu Qian’s interpretation of the current posture.

Without falling into the trick of dragging people in, he seemed to be plainly trapped as a hostage to force the Witch to enter.

It’s remarkable; decisive and ruthless, although it was still a predictable reaction.

Pooling efforts resulted in intentions being easier to discern.

Moreover, the issue now was this blatant strategy truly needed addressing.

With a shift in posture, the advantage of time now apparently belonged to the kidnappers.

By locking him in, they merely waited quietly, as the victims were the anxious ones.

They even removed the Interlocutor who’d been conversing, perhaps not wanting him to embarrass himself or accidentally reveal some crucial information in the future.

Given that—

Fu Qian flexed his wrist, casting his gaze toward the barely visible depths of the nightmare.

The mist churned like a tide, casting a surreal and dreamy vista— even the sound echoed strange.

And at that very moment, a peculiar sound effect began to resonate.

...

A cow’s call?

He’d said earlier that it wouldn’t be surprising for Sister Ox-head to appear from the mist, and here she was.

Indeed, although it appeared extraordinary, it wasn’t easy to discern if the sound came through vision or ears as the swirling mist seemed to outline sound waves.

Nonetheless, Fu Qian detected a familiar quality from within, as if reliving yesterday.

He vaguely recalled the scene of swirling mist, where a figure held a bovine head aloft.

If he remembered correctly, that belonged to an element of His Excellency Alarakir’s Dream.

This must mean they’ve stopped pretending, as shown by the prisoners’ resolute resolve.

To leave this place, one must take on a one-versus-five at the minimum— is that so?

The quivering mist and the sound all froze at once, as if frozen solid.

"Well done."

In its place, a gentle voice belonging to the Dark Moon Cult Leader rang out.

The center of this transformation, the suddenly appearing Witch, nodded slightly towards Fu Qian.

"It’s nothing, the hosts are the ones who really had it tough,"

Fu Qian replied humbly, flexing his wrist again.

The bone chain tightly wrapped around it was already dug deep into his flesh.

Indeed, it was just a Summoning Skill launch.

Scouting is just scouting, and the agreement with the Witch has always been explicitly clear.

No matter how severe the situation, Fu Qian was determined not to negate the resolve she held.

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